German Published Application No. 100 11 410 describes a device for reliably generating signals, where signals critical with regard to safety can be generated, on one hand, by a microcontroller and, on the other hand, by an emergency-operation circuit path, independently of the microcontroller, in the case of a fault of the microcontroller. This increases the reliability of generating a safety-related signal. However, selective monitoring for the correct functioning of the components involved is not provided.